USE OF DEN TREES BY LEADBEATERS POSSUM (GYMNOBELIDEUS-LEADBEATERI)

The results of a radio-tracking study of the uses of den trees by Lead beater's possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri McCoy) at Cambarville in th e mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans) forests of the Central Highlands o f Victoria, south-eastern Australia, are described. Animals were radio -tracked for three periods of 5-20 days in July 1990, November 1990 an d July 1991. A total of 14 individuals was tracked and they occupied 1 1 different trees with hollows on the 10-ha study site. Preliminary fi ndings showed that some animals moved between hollows in different tre es, and most animals used two or more trees. The distances between uti lised trees usually exceeded 50 m. Possible reasons for the den-swappi ng behaviour include attempts to either or both relieve burdens of ect o-parasites and to reduce the risk of predation. There were several ex amples, in each of the three radio-tracking periods, of two or more ra dio-collared adult breeding female animals simultaneously co-occupying the same nest tree. This result was different from some of the genera l findings of an earlier study of G. leadbeateri at Cambarville.